Addressing what she termed as her last engagement with the media before the 2024 election day on December 7, 2024, the EC chairperson, said the commission had distributed all materials and equipment to the regions in adequate quantities.

She added that “we don’t anticipate any shortage in any part of the country”.

She said 18,774,159 registered voters representing 55 per cent of the total population will be participating in the December 7 elections.

Giving an update on the special voting she said the exercise was not only successful but it recorded high voter turnout with the lowest turnout being 83 per cent.

On media accreditation, she said the commission had provided accreditation of close to 10,000 to the media to enable the media to have access to polling stations, constituency and regional collation centres.

She, therefore urged journalists to use the lenses and platforms and pens to inform citizens and to provide them with facts and truth.

“Rise to the task and cover elections accurately and truthfully,” she said.

On observers, she said the Commission had provided accreditation to over 20,000 local and international observers.

In addition to that, Mrs Mensa said the observers have also been provided with maps to be able to locate the various polling centres.

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The New Juaben South Organizer of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), Tijani Mikano, clashed with security personnel after resisting instructions to leave the voting perimeter.

He argued that, he would only comply if the New Patriotic Party (NPP) official, allegedly campaigning in the restricted area, was also removed.

“The EC has given us a parameter in which we should distance ourselves from the voters, but the NPP is campaigning in the queue so I also decided to campaign with my team but the EC says it is not allowed. If it is not allowed, they should drive the others back so the voters can cast their vote…,” he explained the cause of the incident.

The situation escalated into a heated standoff, drawing the attention of voters, security personnel, and Electoral Commission (EC) officials.

Speaking with the Presiding Officer, Darlington Annan, he said the NDC executive was misled to believe the NPP agents exceeded the perimeter.

He clarified that the NPP representative had been instructed to leave the queue for causing a disturbance, but the parties’ misunderstanding fueled the altercation.

“He [the NPP representative] was moving around and was asked to move from the queue because he was causing a nuisance to the voters so he was advised to leave the queue, but as he was going, the opponent thought he was interfering so they wanted to know what was happening and in the process, it escalated to a debate between them,” he narrated.

JoyNews’ Eastern Region correspondent, Kofi Siaw says it took the intervention of the Electoral Commission officials and police officers to settle the misunderstanding.

He said they spoke to both parties and they vacated the premises.

He noted that calm has since returned to the place and voting is ongoing.

Meanwhile, voting in the Western Region has been smooth and peaceful with little to no reported incidents.

Although the special voting took place in 14 regions on Monday, Eastern and Western regions could not vote after the Electoral Commission recalled and ordered and reprinting of their ballot papers following a mishap that was detected with some ballot papers.

Source: Emma Ankrah

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The exercise in the two regions was rescheduled following the discovery of a defaced ballot paper, marked for destruction, outside the Checkpoint Printing House.

Though there were no issues with the ballot papers for the Western Region, the same printing press was responsible for the printing.

This raised concerns about the integrity of the materials, which the EC later recalled for reprinting.

The reprinted materials were delivered to the two regions on Wednesday, 4th December, to ensure a smooth process on Thursday, December 5, 2024.

EC Chairperson Jean Mensa assured all stakeholders that measures had been taken to maintain the transparency and integrity of the process.

The Special Voting exercise allows designated groups such as elected officials, security personnel, and media practitioners, who will be on duty on election day, to cast their votes in advance.

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The Electoral Commission (EC) rescheduled the exercise after a leakage of ballot papers was detected in the two regions, prompting swift action to safeguard the credibility of the election process.

The EC ordered a recall and reprinting of the ballot papers for the affected regions. The Commission’s Chairperson, Jean Mensa, announced this decision during an emergency news conference on Sunday, 1st December.

The recall was deemed necessary to ensure the voting process’s integrity before the 2024 General Election.

For this year’s general election, there are 328 special voting centres nationwide, accommodating 131,478 voters on the special voting list.

These include members of the security services, media personnel, and election officials, who vote ahead of the general populace to allow them to perform their duties on election day.

Speaking on Wednesday, 4th December, a Deputy Chairperson of the EC, Dr Bossman Asare, confirmed the Commission’s readiness for today’s special voting exercise in the Western and Eastern Regions.

He assured the public that all necessary preparations had been completed to ensure a smooth and transparent process in the two regions.

“The Electoral Commission is very much ready for the special voting tomorrow [Thursday]. All the materials that are required for the elections have been dispatched to the two regions, that is the Western Region and the Eastern Region.

“So we do expect that all those who are special voters in these two regions, regardless of where they are located now, will be able to make it to their special voting centres,” he said.

He further explained that there would be 33 voting centres in the Eastern Region and 17 in the Western Region, urging all registered special voters in these areas to participate in the process.

Dr Asare also emphasised that those who fail to vote on Thursday will not have the opportunity to do so on Saturday, 7 December.

Speaking on the AM Show on Joy News on Wednesday, December 4, Mr Okaikwei emphasized the importance of free and fair elections in ensuring the right of all individuals to participate in the democratic process.

He highlighted that accessibility challenges at polling stations and other voting barriers often hinder PWDs from fully exercising their civic rights.

“Accessibility of polling stations, voting technologies, and other aspects of the process can greatly impact the ability of PWDs to vote. Barriers can be social, political, physical, or economic. Poverty and disability’s impact on voter participation is well documented,” he explained.

While acknowledging that Ghana has made progress in addressing these challenges, Mr Okaikwei noted that it’s not enough.

“We’ve come far, but we could’ve done better. Some public places are still inaccessible to PWDs, and where ramps or lifts exist, their wheelchairs often fail to meet international standards. Efforts have been made, but implementation has been lacking,” he said.

He commended political parties for including policies on disability in their manifestos but stressed that promises alone are insufficient.

“The most important thing is implementation. We look forward to seeing their commitments become reality,” he urged.

Reflecting on a recent dialogue between his organization and the Electoral Commission (EC), Mr Okaikwei described how including PWDs in special voting arrangements would have demonstrated Ghana’s commitment to inclusivity.

“It would’ve been fantastic and made voting easier for them. It’s about showing our commitment as a country to addressing disability issues,” he remarked.

He assured that measures have been taken to assist PWDs on election day. His centre has engaged with various disability groups; including the visually impaired, hearing-impaired, and physically disabled to provide election guidelines and education.

“We have a team on the ground, particularly in areas like Awutu-Senya, to support PWDs. The EC has also assured accessibility on election day, but more could have been done,” he concluded.

Source: Clara Seshie

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This according to the EC is because such a person cannot vote on 7^th December because he or she will be on the voters’ list at the polling station.

The Director of Training of Training at the EC, Dr Serebour Quaicoe reiterated this on Asempa FM Ekosii Sen, Wednesday.

This comes after the EC conducted the Special Voting exercise on Monday in 14 out of 16 regions across the country.

The exercise was a critical aspect, allowing security personnel, media practitioners, and election officials who will be on duty during the general election on December 7 polls to vote early.

Approximately 131,478 voters, constituting 0.007 percent of the total registered voters of 18,741,159, were expected to take part.

But at the end of the polls, some voting centres recorded absent voters.

Meanwhile, the Special Voting exercise in the Eastern and Western Regions will take place on Thursday, December 5 following an exclusion on December 2.

The decision follows the breach of security seals of ballot papers.

The postponement was therefore to allow the EC recall and reprint the ballot papers for the regions to ensure a transparent and credible election.

The ballot materials have since been reprinted and deployed to the two regions on Wednesday, December 4 to ensure a smooth process.

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According to Dr Nyaho-Tamakloe, such actions are unacceptable for someone of her calibre, particularly as an MP and Parliamentary Candidate.

Speaking to JoyNews, he expressed his displeasure that the recipients of the food were security personnel, stating he was surprised that none of them refused the gesture.

“What disturbed me further was the parliamentary candidate for that particular constituency, when questioned, denied the act. Such a person is not qualified,” he said.

This follows an incident where the incumbent MP for Ayawaso West Wuogon, was seen distributing food to voters lined up during Monday’s special voting exercise.

Despite a video capturing the MP in the act, she denied in subsequent interviews with journalists ever engaging in such conduct.

“I wasn’t here. I don’t know if you saw me here. I came here before 6 a.m. and left a few minutes ago. I don’t even know what you’re talking about. I am yet to find out from them what happened,” she stated.

In light of this, Dr Nyaho-Tamakloe argued that in a more developed country, Lydia Alhassan would have been compelled to withdraw from the race.

“In fact, if this had happened in a civilised country, she would have left the contest by now. The party would have demanded her withdrawal.

“She denied flatly, even though she was captured on video. We don’t need such people in Parliament or as lawmakers—they will destroy this country,” he stressed.

Dr Nyaho-Tamakloe also indicated that he hopes the incumbent MP loses the Ayawaso West Wuogon seat if she continues to contest after the incident.

“She is a person you cannot rely on, and this should alarm us, particularly the security services,” he said.

He called on the Ghana Police Service, particularly the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Dr George Akuffo Dampare, to investigate the matter thoroughly.

“I have always been saying that the IGP seems to talk a lot, but a lot happens that he’s quiet about.

“Such a person [Lydia Seyram Alhassan] should have been arrested. I think we have been hearing a lot of lectures from the IGP. He must act. That is what the people of this country want,” he added.

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The EC had been compelled to order a recall and reprinting of ballot papers for these regions after a mishap was detected in their initial batch of ballot papers.

As a result, the Commission postponed the special voting for the two regions to December 5.

In an interview on Joy FM’s Midday News on Wednesday, 4 December, Dr Bossman Asare assured the public of the Commission’s preparedness for the delayed special voting in the two regions.

He revealed that all the necessary materials for the election had already been dispatched to the respective regions.

“The Electoral Commission is very much ready for the special voting tomorrow [Thursday]. All the materials that are required for the elections have been dispatched to the two regions, that is the Western Region and the Eastern Region. So we do expect that all those who are special voters in these two regions, regardless of where they are located now, will be able to make it to their special voting centres,” he said.

He further explained that there would be 33 voting centres in the Eastern Region and 17 in the Western Region, urging all registered special voters in these areas to participate in the process. Dr Asare also emphasized that those who fail to vote on Thursday will not have the opportunity to do so on Saturday, 7 December.

The Deputy Chairperson also addressed the measures taken to ensure a free, transparent, and fair election.

“We had a meeting with the parties, and all of us are committed to the integrity of the process. The main conclusion from that meeting was about ensuring that the election will be very fair, free, transparent, and embedded in integrity. And that is what we did by taking the decision to reprint the ballot papers for the Eastern and Western Regions,” he explained.

Dr Asare also condemned some electoral malpractices observed during the special voting on Monday, stating that the Commission would investigate the issue.

“It is against the law to be influencing voters, such as giving food to people, etc. This is something the Commission will issue a statement on, but we must also gather the full evidence in terms of what actually transpired,” he concluded.

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The ballot papers arrived on Wednesday morning for onward distribution to all 33 constituencies in the region.

The materials, delivered under tight security from Koforidua Galloway, were inspected and sealed by party representatives.

About 12,000 voters, including security personnel, media, and EC staff, are set to participate in the election on Thursday.

The Electoral Commission(EC) postponed the Special Voting exercise in the Eastern and Western regions following a reported breach of security seals of the ballot papers, resulting in a recall and reprinting.

Following the conduct of the Special Voting in 14 out of the 16 regions on Monday, December 2, 2024, the EC has expressed satisfaction with the process.

The process was generally peaceful and incident-free but for few cases of arrest and altercation over ballot paper photography and vote-buying.

The calm atmosphere the EC believes set the tone for the general election on Saturday, December 7, 2024.

Meanwhile, the Coalition of Domestic Election Observers (CODEO) has raised serious concerns over violations of electoral laws and has called for swift action from the Police.

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• CODEO raises concerns over electoral violations during Special Voting exercise

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In a statement issued on December 3 and signed by its National Coordinator, CODEO reported incidents of vote-buying and the photographing of cast ballots, describing these acts as threats to the integrity of Ghana’s electoral process.

“CODEO is alarmed by the observed incidents of vote-buying and the photographing of cast ballots. It is concerning that some presiding officers and security personnel did nothing to stop these violations. The Coalition is calling on the Ghana Police Service to take swift action against all such cases, including those reported in the media,” the statement said.

The Coalition noted that, allegations of vote-buying in several polling stations, where voters were allegedly influenced with cash or other incentives.

It also raised concerns of voters photographing their cast ballots, a violation of electoral laws designed to protect voter confidentiality and prevent undue influence.

CODEO urged the Ghana Police Service to act swiftly in investigating these violations and holding those involved accountable.

It stressed the importance of setting a strong precedent to deter similar offences during the December 7, 2024, general election.

“As a matter of urgency, the EC and the National Election Security Task Force must issue strict directives to presiding officers and security officers on what actions to take when they witness election offences. This will help forestall similar occurrences during the December 7 polls,” CODEO stated.

The Coalition also called for transparency, urging the police to keep the public informed about the status of investigations and actions taken. It acknowledged the interest shown by the Office of the Special Prosecutor in these issues.

CODEO further appealed to political parties to avoid practices that undermine the electoral process and encouraged voters to reject inducements, stressing the importance of exercising their right to vote freely and fairly.

The statement underscored the need for vigilance and accountability to protect the credibility of Ghana’s elections.

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The MP was spotted at the Legon Police Station handing out food to voters in the queue.

Reports indicate that, Electoral Commission (EC) officials and security personnel supervising the process were also beneficiaries of the food packs.

The incident has sparked a public debate on the ethics of electoral conduct and voter influence.

Commissioner of CHRAJ, Dr. Joseph Whittal, speaking to the media on Tuesday, stated that the MP’s actions amounted to corruption.

He emphasized that sharing food or money with individuals in the queue before voting violates electoral ethics.

“It is tantamount to corruption and raises serious integrity concerns,” he noted.

Dr. Whittal further highlighted the gravity of the situation, pointing out that such actions could even influence security personnel and should be addressed in future elections.

“This never occurred in the past, but it has now happened, and we will take this into account in our preparations for upcoming elections,” he added.

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Mr Iddrisu has insisted they only shared water and drinks.

In an interview on Adom FM’s morning show Dwaso Nsem Tuesday, he explained that, the water and drinks were even for Electoral Commission(EC) officials and NPP agents but not the voters.

“It is not true. We did not take any food to the centre; it was just drinks and water for the agents and EC officials. It was only four voters who requested for water to drink.

“It is our tradition that when people are working, we must get something for them to eat so we didn’t give it to people who are voting, we gave it to people who are our agents and the EC officers,” he stated.

Footage from the Legon Police Station polling centre, captured Madam Alhassan on Monday handing out bags of food and water to individuals in the voting queue assisted by her team.

The incident caused some agitation at the polling centre, raising concerns about voter influence.

But Mr Iddrisu has said the allegations are mere propaganda by the National Democratic Congress(NDC).

He questioned why the NDC did not hand over anybody to the Police if indeed they witnessed cases of voter influence.

“Lydia Alhassan and Dumelo were both at the centre to engage the voters but there was no attempt to influence voters in any way. If I was an agent, I would have brought the Police in instead of running to the media to complain. They should stop spreading lies,” he added.

Meanwhile, the MP has denied the allegations, claiming she was not even at the centre when the distribution took place.

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This was after the official identified as Gerti Justice allegedly took a picture of his ballot.

Justice’s arrest according to reports by Accra-based ChannelOne TV was prompted by concerns from National Democratic Congress(NDC) agents who were at the polling station.

The parliamentary candidate for the Progressive People’s Party (PPP) Atta Napari Suale revealed that, Justice admitted to the office during interrogation by the Police.

A consensus was therefore reached for his name to be removed from the list of officials on duty.

Following extensive discussions, Justice was released but the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) did not consent, requesting that he faces the full rigorous of the law.

A similar incident occurred at the Ayawaso West Wuogon constituency.

At Awayaso West Wuogon, one person was arrested while attempted to photograph his ballot while the second incident led to an altercation between a voter and an Independent Candidate, Abdul Rauf Abugri Mumuni.

The NDC also raised concerns of occurrences in the Ayawaso Central constituency.

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The calm atmosphere the EC believes sets the tone for the general election on Saturday, December 7, 2024.

The Deputy Director of Research at the EC, Fred Tetteh in an interview with Accra-based Citi FM said the Commission is satisfied with the work done.

“So far so good, everything went seamless and smooth and per our monitoring of the situation on the ground some of us had the opportunity to go and cast our votes and then monitoring the event in some of the polling centres we saw that there was orderliness, peaceful and quite smooth,” he stated.

The exercise took place in 14 out of the 16 regions nationwide, allowing security personnel, media practitioners, and election officials due to their critical role on December 7 to vote early.

Approximately 131,478 voters, constituting 0.007 percent of the total registered voters of 18,741,159, were expected to take part.

Despite not given a number on the voter turnout, Mr Tetteh noted it was encouraging.

The process was generally peaceful and incident-free but for few cases of arrest and altercation over ballot paper photography.

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The officer, who wishes to remain anonymous, expressed outrage and has urged the Electoral Commission(EC) to exercise extreme caution to prevent such incidents in the future.

He was eventually taken through a manual verification process to allow him to vote in Monday’s nationwide special voting exercise.

“I came here to cast my vote, and I gave my ID for them to check and see if my name is in the list. When they checked, they realised that somebody has used my name to vote which is very bad, so I raised alarm that this is not me and they asked me to wait but they are going to verify.

“So, they used the manual verification. What I want to say is that the EC official should be very careful because my picture is there so for them to mistakenly use somebody’s identity for me to come and see, it’s very worrying,” the Officer said.

The EC in a number of media briefings assured that it will ensure the integrity of the electoral process is safeguarded in both the December 2 and 7 elections.

• Special voting: Voter arrested for attempting to photograph ballot at Ayawaso West Wuogon

• Special voting: NDC raises concerns over ballot photography in Ayawaso Central

The individual, whose identity remains undisclosed, has been taken to the police for further investigation.

This incident has sparked concerns about voter conduct and adherence to electoral laws, which strictly prohibit compromising the secrecy of the ballot.

Concerns About Ballot Photography in Ayawaso Central

Meanwhile, in the Ayawaso Central Constituency, the National Democratic Congress (NDC) has raised alarms over similar incidents. According to the party, some individuals, particularly security personnel, were observed photographing their ballots after voting.

Harry Otu, the NDC Chairman for Ayawaso Central, expressed his concerns in an interview with JoyNews:

“I was seated afar, observing the process, and most of them voting Number 1. Any moment they are voting, they vote and take pictures of the votes they’ve cast.”

Mr. Otu said he reported the issue to Electoral Commission (EC) officials, urging them to take swift action:

“So I went to report to the EC official. And most of them, the police officers, are those doing those things. When I complained, I insisted that they delete the pictures they’d taken. One of the NPP agents started shouting, but to avoid chaos, I left it to the EC to handle the situation.”

Calls for Electoral Integrity

The NDC has called on the EC to take immediate steps to address these issues, emphasizing that such practices threaten the secrecy and integrity of the voting process.

This development underscores the need for stricter enforcement of electoral regulations to prevent any actions that could undermine public confidence in the electoral process.

It was a smooth process held in 14 out of the 16 regions nationwide.

The Eastern and Western Regions were exempted from the process due to an alleged breach of security seals of ballot papers.

The exercise is a critical aspect, allowing security personnel, media practitioners, and election officials who will be on duty during the general election on December 7 polls to vote early.

Approximately 131,478 voters, constituting 0.007 percent of the total registered voters of 18,741,159, were expected to take part.

The special voting in the Eastern and Western Regions has been rescheduled to Thursday, December 5.

The postponement is to allow the EC recall and reprint the ballot papers for the regions to ensure a transparent and credible election.

Stay with Adomonline.com as we bring you a comprehensive coverage of the election.

Reports suggest Mr Mumuni accused the young man of attempting to take a photograph of his ballot paper.

A video shared on X by Accra-based ChannelOne TV captured the duo exchange words and nearly physical but for the swift intervention of the Police present.

Mr Mumuni was heard telling the electorate whose identity is not immediately known to go and inform his paymasters he did not succeed.

Watch the video below:

An altercation occurred between Abdul Rauf Abugri Mumuni, an independent candidate for the Ayawaso West Wuogon parliamentary seat, and an electorate. Mumuni accused the electorate of attempting to take a photograph of his ballot paper. Security intervened to restore calm.… pic.twitter.com/Zz3Gh6nEyT

— ChannelOne TV (@Channel1TVGHA) December 2, 2024

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Following visits to several polling stations in the region to monitor the voting process, Ashie Moore predicted that the NDC would secure an overwhelming 65% of the total votes cast.

During his visit, part of an ongoing effort to assess the election process, Ashie Moore interacted with voters, security personnel, and party agents.

In a statement to the press afterward, he commended the peaceful and transparent nature of the voting process, which he believes signals a favourable outcome for the NDC in the region.

Mr. Moore also shared positive feedback from security personnel, who assured him that the NDC is well-positioned for a strong performance and eventual victory.

“For where we stand as NDC Greater Accra, the process is peaceful and it is transparent. You can see the numbers coming in and we pray that this process will be repeated on December 7 because I could feel and smell the victory because we can see more of our party agents and we can see our party supporters around.

“We can see some party sympathisers, our executives, our election directors and our polling agents are also at the designated points. I have spoken to one or two security men and they assured us that we are making it and if this election is counted at the end of the poll, the NDC will get 65 percent in the Greater Accra region in this Special Voting.”

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According to the NDC, this behaviour was observed among some security personnel participating in the election.

The party claims this practice undermines the secrecy of the ballot and could potentially influence the integrity of the process.

Speaking to JoyNews, Harry Otu, the NDC Chairman for Ayawaso Central said “I was seated afar, observing the process, and most of them voting Number 1, any moment they are voting, they vote and take pictures with their votes that they’ve cast.”

He said he drew the attention of the EC officials to the matter and expects something to be done about it.

“So I went to report to the EC official. And most of them, the police officers, are those doing those things. So when I complained to them, I insisted that they delete the pictures that they’ve taken. And one of the agents, the NPP agents, got an idea [and] started shouting. But because we don’t want any chaos here, I just had to go and let the EC take charge of whatever process they are going through,” he recounted.

The NDC has called on the Electoral Commission (EC) to address the issue immediately and ensure the integrity of the voting process is maintained.

The party stressed the importance of upholding election rules, including the prohibition of photographing ballots, to protect the sanctity of the exercise.

Thousands of security personnel, journalists, emergency service staff and EC officials among others are taking part in the special voting exercise in 14 out of 16 regions.

The two other regions, Eastern and Western will have their special voting on Thursday, December 5, following a ballot paper mishap that has compelled the Electoral Commission to order a recall and a reprinting of ballot papers for the two regions.

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She called on the security services, media practitioners and other participants to consider the economic hardships in the country and vote for the NDC.

Speaking to journalists after an open day with Muslim students in Cape Coast of the Central Region, she encouraged all the eligible voters to reflect on the prevailing economic hardships when casting their votes, suggesting that these conditions should guide their decision-making.

Prof. Opoku-Agyemang said press freedom was held very high during the erstwhile Mahama administration but same cannot be said under the NPP government as many journalists have fled the country for the fear of being attacked in their line of duty by the government and its officials.

She therefore urged media practitioners who are voting in Monday’s special voting to be
guided by the dangers they are facing in their profession and vote massively for NDC’s
presidential candidate, Mr John Dramani Mahama, to reset the country.

Prof. Opoku-Agyemang also emphasised the importance of fair and accurate coverage of the elections and urged the Electoral Commission to be transparent and fair in its conduct of the general elections.

“We don’t expect the elections to be in the news for the wrong reasons and we are calling on everybody, including the media, to provide fair coverage and for the security to be as fair as we all expect them to be,” she said.

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The exercise is to allow election officials, security personnel, and media practitioners to cast their ballots early due to their critical role on December 7.

The Special Voting was expected to take place at 328 centres nationwide from 7 am to 5 pm.

However, the process has been postponed in the Western and Eastern regions over ballot leakage, resulting in a recall.

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Voting is currently underway at the Berekum East Constituency where 736 people are expected to vote, Nkwanta South, Garu, Awutu Senya West, Juaboso, Odododiodio, Kenyasi, among others.

The election is being held in 14 out of the 16 regions nationwide, following the exclusion of the Eastern and Western Regions due to an alleged breach of security seals of ballot papers.

The exercise is a critical aspect, allowing security personnel, media practitioners, and election officials who will be on duty during the general election on December 7 polls to vote early.

Approximately 131,478 voters, constituting 0.007 percent of the total registered voters of 18,741,159, are expected to take part.

Meanwhile, the special voting in the Eastern and Western Regions has been rescheduled to Thursday, December 5 as the Electoral Commission (EC) has recalled the ballot papers for reprint to ensure integrity and transparency.

Stay with Adomonline.com as we bring you a comprehensive coverage of the election.

Below is a video from some of the voting centres:

The exercise will proceed nationwide, except in the Eastern and Western Regions, where voting has been postponed.

According to the Taskforce, the Electoral Commission (EC), in consultation with political parties, decided to reschedule the special voting for the two regions due to logistical challenges.

A new date for voters in these areas will be announced within the week to ensure they have the opportunity to exercise their franchise.

The Taskforce has urged security personnel in unaffected regions to turn out in their numbers and cast their votes during the special voting exercise.

This exercise is critical in enabling personnel to perform their civic duty ahead of their deployment for election-day security duties on December 7.

The National Election Security Taskforce reaffirmed its commitment to ensuring a smooth and secure election process and appealed to all eligible voters in the security forces to actively participate in this critical democratic exercise.

For the 2024 general election, there are 328 special voting centres across the country and 131,478 voters on the special voting list.

The Electoral Commission has ordered a recall and reprinting of ballot papers for the Eastern and Western Regions after a leakage was detected with the initial ballot papers.

The Commission’s Chairperson, Jean Mensa announced this at an emergency news conference on Sunday, December 1.

According to the Commission, this has become necessary after it was informed by National Security that a single defaced paper was taken out of Checkpoint Printing Limited Printing House.

The defaced paper was earmarked for destruction but unfortunately found its way out of the firm which has been working with the Commission since 1992.

The reprinting will be done by BuckPress and Innolink.

As a result, it announced the suspension of the special voting exercise which is due to start tomorrow, Monday, for the two regions whose ballot papers were printed by Checkpoint Printing Limited Printing House.

The two regions will have their special voting on Thursday, December 5, before the general election on Saturday, December 7.

It says the security features of ballots for the two regions will be enhanced to differentiate them from the ones that have gone out.

The Commission said the total recall is to ensure the integrity of the election.

It says all parties and contestants in the election have been informed of the development and have agreed to the recall and reprinting.

Before this incident, the EC similarly reprinted ballot papers for Ahafo and the Volta Region due to some errors with the initial printing.

The Commission has also detected some shortfall in the ballot papers dispatched to some regions and is working to fix the anomaly.

This announcement was made during a meeting with the national executive of the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) in Accra on May 28.

The special voting arrangement is intended for eligible voters who will be unable to cast their ballots at their registered polling stations on the general election day, set for December 7, 2024.

This provision primarily targets personnel from various security and public service sectors.

Mrs. Mensa specified the groups eligible for special voting, including the Ghana Armed Forces, National Intelligence Bureau (NIB), National Security, Ghana Immigration Service, Ghana National Fire Service, and the Information Services Department.

Additionally, members of the National Ambulance Service, Customs Division of the Ghana Revenue Authority, Prisons Service, Ghana Journalists Association, Ghana Police Service, and the National Media Commission are also eligible.

Despite the early voting date, the EC chair said the results of the special voting will not be disclosed until after the general elections on December 7.

Speaking in an interview with JoyNews’ Samson Lardy Anyenini, Dr Serebour Quaicoe revealed that out of the 109,577 special voters, 13,000 people failed to vote.

According to him, these 13,000 electorate would be omitted from the voters’ list during the December 7 polls.

“Once your name is taken out of the list, your name will not be on the BVD and if your name is not on the BVD you cannot be biometrically verified,” he said.

Dr Quaicoe said the process is to ensure that special voting applicants are prevented from engaging in double-voting which is an offence.

The special voting exercise, which came off on Tuesday, December 1, was not for every electorate but specific people who sent their details to the Commission.

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However, he stated that, if a voter’s name was not in the special voter’s list, he/she can vote during the December 7 polls.

“If your name did not appear in that [special voter list] then you are a normal voter, you will vote on December 7 but if your name is in the special voter’s list then you have lost your votes if you did not vote,” he emphasised. 

The accused persons, who are currently behind bars pending investigation, have denied any wrongdoing. However, the Police maintain that evidence of the act was found on their phones.

A third incident involving a National Democratic Congress (NDC) polling agent, who accused a lady of the same violation, was dismissed by the police over lack of evidence.

Member of Parliament for the area, Mrs Elizabeth Afoley Quaye, who was at the location, said the arrested persons might have taken the shots out of excitement.

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Mrs Quaye, who is seeking a second term in office on the ticket of the incumbent New Patriotic Party, also expressed optimism about emerging victorious after Decemeber 7.

She faces the NDC’ Agnes Naa Momo Lartey.

Meanwhile, polling agents at the voting centre have expressed satisfaction with the conduct of the Special Voting exercise.

The Special Voting exercise, which took place at 311 designated voting centres located in all the 275 constituencies, was meant for people with special election day assignments.

The special voting list is to pave way for individuals who will perform special duties on December 7 vote ahead of the big day.

It covers security, media personnel, and election officials who will be unable to vote at the polling stations where they registered.

The EC, in a statement, noted that the list is available on its website for the individuals who fall within the set categories to check their names.

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It added soft copies of the special voters’ register have been provided to the representatives of organisations participating in the exercise to enable their members to verify their details and locations ahead of time.

Meanwhile, the special voting exercise has been scheduled for Tuesday, December 1, 2020.

Read the full statement below: